Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $506 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $680 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $855 in Kabul.

Living in Mazar-i-Sharif costs roughly 43% less than in Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mazar-i-Sharif 79% lower, Kabul 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.32 ؋149

$2.75 ؋177

-15.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 ؋974

$7.55 ؋487

100.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 ؋247

$4.60 ؋297

-16.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 ؋484

$2.33 ؋150

221.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 ؋488

$1.84 ؋118

311.41%

Cappuccino

$1.17 ؋75.6

$1.06 ؋68.1

10.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ؋34.68

$0.45 ؋28.90

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ؋18.68

$0.14 ؋9.04

107.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ؋38.21

$0.86 ؋55.3

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 ؋10.16

$0.25 ؋16.13

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ؋130

$1.84 ؋119

9.78%

Eggs

$1.61 ؋104

$1.49 ؋96.0

8.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 ؋500

$4.24 ؋273

83.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ؋217

$3.91 ؋252

-13.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 ؋397

$6.55 ؋422

-5.95%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 ؋35.89

$0.68 ؋43.75

-17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ؋71.5

$0.84 ؋53.9

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 ؋52.3

$0.89 ؋57.1

-8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ؋40.97

$0.50 ؋32.18

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ؋31.89

$0.60 ؋38.40

-18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ؋24.54

$0.50 ؋32.29

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ؋32.77

$0.28 ؋17.82

82.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ؋20.00

$0.36 ؋22.95

-13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

$1.80 ؋116

0.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ؋66.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.56 ؋101

$2.28 ؋147

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ؋50.3

$0.16 ؋10.26

387.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ؋1,335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ؋130

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ؋27.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ؋96.8

$2.64 ؋170

-43.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ؋94.1

$1.02 ؋66.1

43.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$10.1K ؋650.8K

$8,405 ؋541.9K

20.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.6K ؋2.2M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.4 ؋5,120

$41.87 ؋2,699

89.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.71 ؋1,077

$12.64 ؋815

32.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.2 ؋6,263

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.48 ؋740

$10.98 ؋708

4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.71 ؋239

$3.90 ؋251

-4.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 ؋296

$2.30 ؋148

99.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$76.0 ؋4,902

$20.23 ؋1,304

275.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,023 ؋65.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.04 ؋840

$10.62 ؋684

22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.80 ؋1,019

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ؋3,652

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.26 ؋1,178

$24.52 ؋1,581

-25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 ؋7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ؋7,046

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 ؋13.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ؋7,427

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$675 ؋43.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 ؋23.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$226 ؋14.5K

$327 ؋21.1K

-31.08%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Kabul pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $8.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $105 vs $99.0 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mazar-i-Sharif vs Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($289 vs $506 including rent). Mazar-i-Sharif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Kabul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $76.0 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $20.23 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $8.00 in Kabul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mazar-i-Sharif gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Kabul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.